In our first session of The Side Quest, RJ, Theo, and Todd joined me with their six characters (two each), Ander Liadon, Lavinia Tealeaf, Aramil, Gurdis Fireforge, Darvin Dundragon, and Geth Stormwind. The first thing we needed to determine was why they each were traveling to Hawk’s Nest. While the players may have thought this was just the typical exercise of sharing a little background, it was a bit more than that. Their reasons for coming to this little part of the world would significantly drive what they would actually find when they got to this little part of the world.
Theo decided that Gurdis found killing orcs to be one of the most satisfying things in the world. It turned out that Aramil shared that same interest. The pair, despite being something of an odd couple, found this interest to be enough to travel together. Having heard of Madd Matt and Hell’s Haven, the pair had also heard that bounties were paid for orcs and the like. This brought them to Hawk’s Nest on one fine (very early) spring day.
RJ started with Ander, the young wizard. Apparently, his mentor had gifted another of his apprentices with
Todd explained that Darvin (who is using the false identity of Gorstag) was seeking vengeance. His mother had worked for a powerful person in Silverymoon. She had been killed by another powerful person who had been visiting and working with her employer. It turns out that this “person” was actually a dragon. Gorstag/Darvin had heard a rumor that a powerful blade, something of a dragonsbane, had been lost in the area of Hawk’s Nest. So he set off in search of it.
Geth, I believe, was on the move to avoid some past acquaintances who were a bit interested in seeing him…or at least his head…and the item that he had taken from them which was, in turn, taken from him. He had joined up with a caravan that was traveling through Silverymoon Pass. When they arrived at Hawk’s Nest, Geth took his leave. It may have helped that he had broken the nose of the caravan master’s son, Vaesel, in a bit of a scuffle and debate over the nature and position of Geth’s mother’s boots when Vaesel last saw her…wink, wink, nudge, nudge.
[In other words, not a whole lot to work with. ;)]
I believe that Gorstag/Darvin was the first to arrive in Hawk’s Nest, relatively early one morning. The guards at the outer gate challenged him, asking his name (spell it slowly) and his business. They also explained the rules of the place…essentially cause no trouble. He was charged a gold piece to enter. Gurdis and Aramil were just a bit behind Gorstag. They freely offered the requested information and made it clear that they were here to head to Mad Matt’s to kill some orcs. The guards seemed a bit less than impressed that adventurers were already arriving for the season. Despite the caution to cause no trouble and to be polite and respectful, Gurdis pretty much told the guards that he and Aramil were here to take care of the things that “you boys aren’t taking care of.”
This trio pretty much arrived at the Three Leaves to the Wind Inn at the same time. The inn was empty except for one man, the innkeeper. He looked excited at first, asking if they were with a caravan. When the answer was no and that it became clear that they were adventurers, the innkeep’s turned a bit cold and made it quite clear that everything, including the rooms, had to be paid for in advance. [Are you starting to detect a theme yet?]
They arranged for rooms and sat down to enjoy some food and drink. Although Aramil was immaculately clean and Gorstag was fine, Gurdis was a filthy mess and the innkeep offered forth the location of the keep’s baths. Conversation at the inn largely ceased with the dwarf gone off for a nice, thorough bath. Coming back a bit later (and after dropping off his armor and weapons at the smithy for a good polishing), he was quite clean and his bright red beard well groomed and nearly glowing in its full glory.
Around mid-afternoon, a new companion arrived. Geth arrived with the caravan and quickly headed to inn well ahead of the rest as they all saw to the beasts and goods at the keep’s stable and warehouse. He quickly took up with the only other patrons in the inn at that point, the other adventurers. Shortly after, the caravan members arrived and flooded into the inn. Vaesel, with his taped and broken nose, gave Geth a cold stare. Geth quickly and menacingly stood, knocking over his chair and Vaesel immediately backed behind two of the burly caravan guards accompanying him and no further hostilities happened.
It was fortunate that there had been no escalation as a pair of Hawk’s Nest’s finest entered the inn a few minutes later. When Vaesel saw them, he pointed over at Geth and the pair walked over. They spoke with Geth and made it clear that they knew of the trouble that had occurred on the road and that they would have none of that here in town (and would prefer to not have it happen on the road either).
There was more banter and discussion between the PCs until, in the early evening, Lavinia and Ander arrived. The halfling tried to negotiate down the price of a room for her given that would only take up half the space but the innkeep would have none of it. He is, after all, the innkeep of a place where adventurers are often staying and often trying to get out of paying. He’s probably seen it all. The pair then ended up sharing the table with, you guessed it, the other PCs.
There was much discussion about themselves, about Mad Matt’s, and about traveling and adventuring together. Eventually, they began to trickle to their rooms for the night’s rest. As Geth started for the stairs to the rooms, a barmaid came over and handed him a note. It simply said, “You punch like a girl.” Geth looked over at Vaesel (who still sat at the bar with his guards). Geth went over but the guards took no action. Geth confronted Vaesel and the youth simply asked if Geth was going to sucker punch him again. Geth didn’t continue to pursue the confrontation and so Vaesel turned around to sit back down at the bar, muttering something about Geth being too much of a coward to challenge him anyways.
That was the last straw. Geth grabbed the youth, picking him up and spinning him around. As he did so, the caravan guards made no reaction. Vaesal started to yell for guards and yelling that he’s being attacked while his actual guards did nothing. It was a setup [and the look on Todd’s face as he realized this was PRICELESS]. Everyone in the place froze and got quiet.
Guards from Hawk’s Nest quickly arrived and asked what had happened. Pretty much everyone had seen Geth grab Vaesel and threaten him. The guards arrested Geth and took him away. Lavinia went running upstairs to let their companions who had retired earlier know what was going on and Gurdis went out after the guards. A pair was waiting outside. The dwarf asked what was going to happen to Geth and was told that would be up to the Captain. I believe that Gurdis hinted at the possibility of a bribe to get Geth free. That didn’t go over to well. One of the guards tossed Gurdis a silver piece and suggested that he head back inside and buy a drink with it. The dwarf took offense at this and didn’t catch the coin. He accused the guard of suggesting that he was too cheap to buy his own drink or too much of a drunk to be easily distracted by the offer. The guards, again, were not too impressed by this. They ordered Gurdis to go back inside.
The dwarf complied and there was a bit of gnashing of teeth of what they were going to do. Despite having only met the man and knowing very little of him, most (if not all) of the other PCs were reluctant to leave Hawk’s Nest without him.
It turned out to be no big deal. At the jail, Geth learned that the guards did not really like Vaesel and that this wasn’t the first time that he had goaded someone that he didn’t like into causing trouble. There was little that they could do because the little weasel always made it look like he was the victim. The Captain explained that he was going to free Geth early in the morning and suggested that Geth be on his way before the caravan was.
So, early next morning, Geth headed back to the inn. Aramil was also up early and the pair watch the sun rise above the keep. The others got up and the party headed out of Hawk’s Nest and towards, they hoped, Mad Matt’s. The trail followed the river that flowed around Hawk’s Nest and had clearly not been traveled much in recent months. It was a fairly narrow track that led deeper and higher into the Nether Mountains.
After a few hours of this, about six miles, an impressive wall was spotted ahead.
[This has gotten too long already. This had taken about three hours…if you can imagine that. đŸ˜‰
Well, if you’ve read an of our session write ups before, then you probably can. More to come soon.]
yes it was a wand…
Well, it’s not just Orc killing. That’s more the superficial bond. Aramil is in self-imposed exile after the horrific blunder in battle that cost the lives of many….soldiers and a small village. He finds it hard to be around his own, as he sees scorn and derision, even where there is not. More of a reflection of his self-flagellation. He seeks purpose again, and something to fill the emptiness. The roving band that performed the massacre were Orcs.
Gudris is the last of his line and clan, the Fireforge. Clanless since his late youth, he is an Outlander, roaming in the North. The tales he heard at the hearth as a child spoke of an old hold somewhere in those forlorn and snow covered mountains. It’s merely a whisper or shadow, but he clings to hope. In the days of his grandsire, Gurden, the clan was driven out towards the South by ravaging Orcs…..and a Dragon! He still carries an ancient vial with him, that legend has Gurden collected off his axe after wounding the foul Wyrm, before leading the tattered remains of his kin to safety. Gurdis knows he will sire no offspring, and his clan name will perish with him. He only hopes to honour it so he may please his lineage and join them at Moradin’s Hall. Before that comes to pass, he also hopes Dumathoin, the Keeper of Secrets under the Mountain, deems him worthy through deeds to reveal the location of the old Hold. The fact that Mad Matt seems to be sitting on a lucrative mine of some sorts has him intrigued.